The three podium finishers in the gruelling race from Singapore to Qingdao in the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race arrived in the Olympic Sailing Marina on Friday to a spectacular Chinese welcome. The teams were escorted from their yachts along a red carpet to be welcomed by an array of local dignitaries including Madam Zang Executive Chairwoman of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Committee and Clipper Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Duggie Gillespie and the New York crew arrived victorious into Qingdao this afternoon after scoring their second consecutive win. In total the New York team has won three races, provisionally putting them in joint fourth pace with Liverpool 08 on the overall results table.  They were joined later that afternoon by Durban 2010 and Beyond and Glasgow: Scotland with Style Clipper, whose results on Race six provisionally place them first and third overall respectively.

Upon arriving in Qingdao the winning skipper, Duggie said: “The welcome here has been incredibly warm. It has been such a difficult race but this reception has made it all worthwhile. It feels like we have won the Olympics of sailing and it’s just great to be here.

“We have heard so much about China and we are all looking forward to having a look around and enjoying your hospitality.”

Each of the skippers was presented with a Chinese velvet embroidered cape traditionally worn by Chinese emperors and each crew member received a bouquet of fresh flowers before they were escorted to a giant stage for a lavish welcoming ceremony.

After being escorted past hundreds of drummers, tai chi dancers, and Olympic mascots, the weary but elated crews climbed onto the stage in front of thousands of onlookers as the sky lit up with fireworks. Madam Zang Executive Chairwoman of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Committee told the

crews: “Today the famous Clipper Fleet and its crews came once again to China to the sailing city of Qingdao. Your arrival brings great joy to Qingdao’s spring festival celebrations in our Olympic year.

“In 2006, the first visit of the Clipper Fleet brought Qingdao citizens closer to sailing sports. I hope this visit will improve Qingdao’s interest in sailing sports further ahead of the Olympics later this year,” she said.

Joff Bailey, Race Director said: “This has been an incredibly tough race for all the teams and they will be relieved to have finally arrived in Qingdao.

It has been the hardes race so far in Clipper 07-08 with relentless headwinds and freezing temperatures.  It is one they will be telling their grandchildren about in years to come.”

Around a hundred Chinese media representatives flocked to the Olympic Sailing Marina to cover the arrival of the first Clipper boats and jostled to interview the first three skippers.  Later this year, the Olympic Sailing Marina where the Clipper fleet will be berthed during the Qingdao stopover, will be the venue for the sailing events in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The remaining boats are currently making good progress to Qingdao with westernaustralia2011.com, Jamaica, Uniquely Singapore and Hull & Humber the first to arrive tomorrow morning between 0830 and 1000 local time.  They will be followed by Liverpool 08 and Nova Scotia in the afternoon and the Canadian team’s skipper Rob McInally spoke of their anticipated arrival:

“The excitement is brewing on Nova Scotia as we get ever closer to Qingdao.

At the moment we are all busy trying to reduce the amount of work required when we reach port. Fragments of information about the welcoming ceremony tease our expectations of the arrival, which I feel you will be more knowledgeable about than us. Food, beer, big beds, Egyptian cotton and showers are all on the wish list. The bar will be interesting as the stories of waves the size of houses and great seamanship become exaggerated as the local brew flows.”

Qingdao, expected in between 0830 and 0900 on Sunday morning, will complete the fleet and will most likely receive the biggest reception as she arrives in her homeport.

ENDS

High-resolution Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race images are available for free media use at: www.w-w-i.com/clipper_0708_race/

For more information visit www.clipperroundtheworld.com